Island



Patented Au -23,1398. I. DANA. N

CLIP FOR TENTER MACHINES.

(Appllcatmn filed Feb 21, 1898) (jilo Modal W/T/l/fS-SES,

By /MMM Arr):

THE NcRms PETEHQ co mcTo-umoq WASHINGTON. u c.

FREDERICK I. DANA, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THOMASPHILLIPS COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

PATENT OFFICE.

TI'IE CLIP FOR TENTER-MACHIN ES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of 'Letters Patent nascent, datedjAugust 23,1898. Application filed February 21, 1898-, :Serial No 671,006. Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FREDERICK I. DANA, of the city and county ofProvidence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Clips-for Tenter- Machines; and I do herebydeclare the following specification, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of the same, to be a full, clear,and exact description thereof.

The present invention relates to an improved clip or clamp for use inmachines in which the clips or clamps are carried by conveyers whichtravel in planes substantially at right angles to the plane of thematerial be ing acted upon, and is more especially designed for use incloth-stretching or tenter machines.

The object ofthe invention is to provide a simple and efficient clip orclamp which may be moved laterally with relation to the conveyer bywhich it is carried, so that said clip may move up into position tobring the jaws upon opposite sides of the plane of the fabric withoutinterfering with the introduction of the fabric into the machine. Afterthe clips come into this position they are moved inward to bring thejaws upon opposite sides of the fabric, the jaws being open at thistime.

One feature of the invention relates to the manner of connecting theclip or clamp to the conveyor, and consists in a clip or clamp mountedto slide laterally in relation to the conveyer which carries it. So faras this feature of invention is concerned any suit-- able form of clipmay be usedand any suitable means may be employed for sliding the cliplaterally; but it is preferred to use the form of clip shown in PatentNo. 597,162, dated January 11, 1898, and to employ-means for moving theclips laterally, which embodies a second feature of invention.

The second feature of invention relates to the means for operating alaterally-movable clip, and consists in a cam-rail upon the side rail ofthe machine, which cam-rail engages the clip and resists the lateralstrain of the cloth, and this feature is not limited in its applicationto use in connection with a sliding clip, butmay be used in connectionwith other forms of laterallymovab1e clips.

The invention also includes the further features'and combinations, whichwill be set forth in the claims'l In the drawings, Figure 1 is a planView of apreferred form of clip and so much of the side rail of atenter-machine as is necessary to illustrate the application of theinvention thereto. Fig'. 2 is a sectional view showing the clip in sideelevation. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of line 3 3, Fig. 2. Fig. 4c is aplan view of a portion of the siderail of a tenter-machine, and Fig. 5is a detail of a modification.

Referring tov the drawings, A represents the side rail of acenter-machine for carrying and guiding the conveyer B, which is guidedupon the rail by means of a barC, projecting above the edge of the rail,and a bar D, secured to the upper face of the rail. The bar D isprovided with a vertical part at and a horizontal flange d, whichoverlies the conveyer and keeps it in place. The conveyer B is formed insections consisting of the links b, and some or all of said sectionsorlinks are provided with a laterally-projecting arm b,

having guides or ways 72 formed thereon for supporting and guiding theclip or clamp. The carriage 1, forming the body of the clip, is groovedto embrace the ways 19 and is provided with an overhanging frame 2, tothe under side of which is secured a plate 3, form ing the stationaryjaw of the clip. The movable jaw 4 of the clip is pivoted on a rod 5 andis provided with aweighted portion 6, which tends to close said jaw. Theguard 7' for controlling the closing of the jaw 4: is pivoted at 8 andis connected with the jaw by means of a link 9. The guard is providedwith two fingers 10 at its free end, arranged 0 to bear upon the fabricand hold the jaw 4 open until the fabric is drawn from between the plate3 and said fingers, when they pass through slots 11 in said plate andallow the jaw 4: to close and grip the edge of the fabric.

The clip may be movedlaterally upon the guides 17 by any suitable means,but is preferably so moved by a cam-rail12, which extends along the siderail and isembraced by the sides 13 and 14 of a groove formed in an a'rmmo 15, projecting from the rear of the carriage 1. This cam rail ispreferably located substantially in line with the plane of the plate 3,so that the tension of the fabric will exert a direct pull thereon andwill not tend to tip or cramp the conveyer-chain, andthere will be lessfriction between the moving and stationary parts.

Referring to Fig. 4., the operation is as follows: The dotted linesindicate the edge of the fabric. As the conveyers pass around the usualsupporting-wheels at the end of the guide-rails they are in the positionshown at the right in Fig. 4 and in the other viewstl1at is to say, theyare at one side of the edge of the fabric-and do not, therefore,interfere with the entrance of the fabric into the machine. As theconveyors reach the horizontal plane the jaws of the clips are opened bythe usual cam-plate, over which the fabric passes. As the conveyorsadvance the clips are moved inward by the cam-rail 12 to bring the jawsupon opposite sides of the fabric, and when the clips have reached theirinward position the jaw 4 is released and the fingers 1O engage thefabric and hold the jaws open until the fabric is withdrawn from saidfingers by the spreading of the side rails, when the jaws close and thefabric is clamped by the clip. When the clips reach the delivery end ofthe machine, the jaws are opened by the usual cam-plate and the clipsare moved bodily back away from the edge of the fabric.

Instead of forming the cam-rail as shown in full lines the rail may havea groove formed therein, as indicated in Fig. 5, and the carriage beprovided with an arm 17, projecting into said groove, or theconstruction of the rail may be otherwise varied without departing fromthe invention.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a section of a con- Veyer, of alaterally-sliding clip or clamp supported thereby, substantially asdescribed.

2. The combination with a section of a conveyer provided with alaterally-projecting arm, of a clip or clamp mounted to slide on saidarm, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a section of a conas described.

veyer provided with a laterally-projecting arm, of a carriage mounted toslide on said arm, a stationary jaw on said carriage, and a movable jawon said carriage, substantially as described.

4. The combination with a conveyer, of laterally-movable clips or clampscarried thereby, and a cam-rail for engaging said clips and holding themin proper relation to the conveyer, substantially as described.

5. The combination with a conveyer, of laterally-sliding clips or clampscarried thereby,- guides for said conveyer, and a cam-rail for engagingsaid clips and holding them in proper relation to the conveyer,substantially as described.

6. In a tenter-machine the combination with the side rail, of a conveyercarried thereby, laterally-movable clips or clamps carried by saidconveyer, and a cam-rail on said side rail for engaging said clips, andresisting the lateral strain on said clips, substantially as described.

7. In a tentermachine the combination with the side rail, of a conveyercarried thereby, laterally-movable clips or clamps carried by saidconveyer, and a cam-rail on said side rail for engaging said clipssubstantially in line with the fabric, substantially as described.

8. In a tenter-machine, the combination with the side rail, of aconveyer carried thereby, a laterally-sliding clip or clamp carried bysaid conveyer, and a cam-rail extending the length of said side rail forengaging said clip, substantially as described.

9. In a tenter-machine the combination with the side rail, of a conveyercarried thereby, laterally-sliding clips or clamps carried by saidconveyer, a cam for opening the jaws of the clip, means for controllingthe closing of the jaws by the fabric, and a cam-rail on said side railfor engaging said clips, substantially FREDERICK I. DANA.

Witnesses:

IRA L. FIsH, R. A. BATES.

